𝗟𝗘𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗕𝗘 𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧: Activist Rallies to Reopen Historic Camera Obscura in Palisades Park

SANTA MONICA, CA — Sunday, May 18, 2025 — With a handmade sign in hand and chants echoing through Palisades Park, Greg Ruben staged a solo demonstration outside Santa Monica’s long-shuttered Camera Obscura, demanding the city reopen the historic optical attraction that has remained closed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pacing in front of the iconic brown structure near Ocean Avenue, Ruben held a two-sided placard that read “REOPEN THE CAMERA OBSCURA” on one side and “LET THERE BE LIGHT” on the other. His chants, rhythmic and persistent, included lines like “Five years too long!” and “Let there be light!” — words he repeated throughout the morning. “My name is Greg Ruben and I'm here today demanding that the city of Santa Monica reopen the Camera Obscura,” he said. “It closed in 2020 with the COVID pandemic and it's been five years now — it's way too long.” Ruben described the Camera Obscura as a rare and irreplaceable community asset, noting that it is one of only two known functional public camera obscuras in the entire state of California. “It was a special and unique place in the city of Santa Monica and really in all of California,” he said. The Camera Obscura, installed in 1898 and relocated to its current home in 1955, has served generations with real-time projected views of the park and ocean, using simple mirror and lens mechanics. Although the building now functions as a City-run artist studio, the device itself has been closed to the public since 2020. Fabian Lewkowicz, SMCU photojournalist and longtime advocate for community-based visual education, echoed Ruben’s sentiments. “As a former photo workshop instructor, I frequently brought children to the site as part of a summer photography camp,” Lewkowicz said. “One of our highlights was coming here. The kids loved it — it was a great way to teach them about photography and how light works.” As of this report, the City of Santa Monica has not issued any updates on whether public access to the Camera Obscura will be restored. Ruben, however, says he’s prepared to keep showing up. “I'm prepared to be here all day if that's what it takes,” he said.